How to Clean How to Clean Your Riding Boots
Regularly give your boots a thorough cleaning, conditioning or shining using only products and brushes designed specifically for boot leather. Do not use glycerin soap, a tack cleaner or a household cleaner on any part of your boot or its sole.
You'll want to wipe dirt, manure and horse sweat from the surface of your boots after every ride using a barely damp cloth or sponge. If there's dirt on the welt stitching and zipper, try using a soft-bristled brush. Use a stiff-bristled brush to remove caked material from outsoles. Keep in mind that any contaminants left on boot leather leech moisture, promote cracking and weaken or rot the stitching. Additionally, hardened dust and dirt from previous rides cause premature wear and abrasions, and grit in zipper teeth can prevent proper functioning. If you wear spurs, unbuckle the spur straps to clean the leather underneath them.
You'll want to use a soft rag to apply a boot cream or boot polish to the clean, dry leather. Let the product absorb into the leather for several minutes and avoid putting polish on zipper teeth. Buff boots with a polishing brush followed by buffing with another clean rag until the boot is shiny. Be sure to use a gentle brush to remove polish from welt stitching. Always check to see what kind of polish and brush your boot manufacturer recommends. Some manufacturers supply products that work best on their boot leather.
For thorough zipper care, vacuum or brush away debris before applying a thin coat of Zipper-Ease®, the stick lubricant that rubs on like a crayon and extends the life of your zippers.
Additional Information
"Tall boots" for the English riding disciplines is a broad term that encompasses field, dress and dressage boots. Each boot style nods to the tradition of the equestrian sport, offers details that reflect current fashion trends, and most importantly, provides specific functionality to the rider. Field boots are typically made of leather with some degree of suppleness and with laces at the front of the ankle. This type of boot allows the rider to achieve a correct heels-down foot position for jumping, enjoy the flexibility to ride in shorter stirrups and experience a close contact feel at the inside calf.
Dress boots, which present a more formal appearance, are also as soft and supple as field boots, but they do not have laces at the ankle. Dressage boots are much stiffer than field or dress boots. Constructed with a stiffener up the back and offered in leather with various degrees of stiffness, a dressage boot should not drop much at the ankle. The design supports the rider's relatively flat foot position in the stirrup and a long, elegant leg position, which provides maximum area contact with the horse's sides. Dover Saddlery offers a wide selection of tall boots from all the leading brands, from entry-level to premium price points, and from the most classic to the most fashionable. Can't find a stock boot that's just right for you? Custom tall boots are available here, too.
How to Check the Fit of Field Boots How to Check the Fit of Your New Field BootsTraditional leather field boots drop, soften and crease around your ankle to allow for proper leg positions while riding. The amount of drop depends on the softness of the leather and the boot cut. (Some newer models of tall boots have features to allow immediate, comfortable flexion of the ankle from the first ride, and they won't drop much.)
To allow for intended drop on traditional boots and avoid ending up with boots that are too short after breaking them in, new boots must rise high enough at your knee initially. Most tall riding boots require a slightly uncomfortable break-in time to get the final, proper riding boot fit.
To Assess Boot Fit:- Wearing the breeches and socks you'll usually wear, put on your boots. They should be somewhat difficult to zip up, but you should be able to close the zipper all the way and snap any closure at the top while standing.
- Your boots should feel very snug around your calf without cutting off your circulation. If the boot fit is too loose, when the boot breaks in and stretches to your leg, it will develop deep folds around your ankle that will press into your skin and cause discomfort. Also, if the boot is too loose, it will drop too much and be too short in height.
- Check the height by ensuring that the fronts of the boots rise to the middle of your kneecaps. If your kneecaps are entirely covered by the boots, then they are too tall. With the ideal height described, your boots will seem uncomfortably tall and will crease slightly at the top back when you bend your knee. The crease will disappear when the boots drop.
TIP: You can see how high your riding boot fit will be after break-in by placing a heel lift in the footbed to raise your leg inside the boot. For more comfort at the back of the knee, some people choose to ride in a heel lift until the boot finishes breaking in.
- Check the feel of the footbed. Make sure you will be comfortable keeping the ball of your foot on a stirrup pad. If you have ordered a shoe size that is a little larger than you would normally wear to obtain a slightly taller boot, place an air cushion, gel sole or other padded footbed in the shoe of the boot to take up extra space.
How to Measure for Tall Boots How to Measure for Tall BootsYou'll need a helper and a cloth measuring tape to take accurate measurements.
- Wear the breeches and socks that you're most likely to wear with your new boots.
- Sit in a straight chair with your stocking feet flat on the floor and knees at a 90 degree angle.
- For calf width, have your helper measure the circumference of your calf at its widest point.
Note: Do not add increments to your calf measurement. Boot leather stretches as it breaks in. New boots should fit snugly and should be slightly difficult to put on. If the boots are too large when you purchase them, they will only become looser over time and will increase the risk of the boot dropping too much resulting in a shortened height.
- For boot height, have your helper measure from the floor to the back of your knee.
Boot height is a matter of personal preference. Some riders prefer a very tall boot, while others prefer a shorter boot. In general, for field boots you'll want to add 1 1/2 to 2 inches to your height measurement. For a moderately stiff dressage boot, you'll want to add 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches. Also, check the riding boot size chart on the ordering tab for your desired brand of boots to determine whether you should make any specific height adjustments.
Note: Styles in both field and dress boots that feature a Spanish top help to create an elongated look as up to 1 to 1 1/2 inches of curved leather is added to the outside of the top of the boot. A Spanish top is cut higher and more curved than a regular boot top.
- Match your calf width and height measurements to the riding boot sizing chart pertaining to the brand of boot you wish to order.
If you're considering zippered boots, look for a calf measurement that is as close to or a smidge over your measurement to avoid stressing the zippers. If your calf measurement is as little as 1/8 inch wider than the calf measurement listed for your expected size, you may want to consider the next size up or you may have problems with the boot zippers. If the next size up seems as though it will be too wide for your calf and the boot would be too loose, then consider another boot that will fit your leg better. It is not uncommon when choosing from stock tall boots for riders to consider all size charts and all manufacturers to find their optimal boot.
Shoe size pertains to your usual size for footwear. Some riders choose to go up a foot size if their desired boot height is not available with their regular size. Extra space in the foot can be taken up with an extra foot bed, gel sole or air cushion.
Note: For boots that are offered in whole foot sizes, factor the type of sock you plan to wear into your decision. For example, if you normally wear size 7 1/2 shoe but the boot you wish to order is offered in whole sizes, the thickness of your socks will determine the correct size to order. For heavy, thick socks, you would choose a size 8; for average, thin socks you would choose a size 7.
Our Guarantee 100% Satisfaction Guarantee
The Easiest and Best Guarantee in The Business
Shop with 100% confidence at Dover Saddlery. If something doesn’t fit you or your horse, return your original purchase within a year, and we’ll make it right with a refund, exchange or replacement.
Our experience as riders and horse owners ourselves is that in most situations a year’s time is fair enough to evaluate proper fit and function. PLUS: For manufacturer’s defects, we’ll extend the manufacturer’s warranty to a maximum of 24 months, regardless of their individual policies. (AND: Manufacturer warranties longer than 24 months will be honored and supported by us as well up to the length of those warranties).
Exceptions: Safety items such as helmets and protective vests may only be returned within 30 days, with their original tags intact. Saddles and riding boots may be returned within the one year period, but are subject to a prorated refund based on usage. Used saddles may be returned for 30 days only. For everyone’s protection, treats and vet meds which have been opened are not returnable, and returned blankets must clean and free of debris.
Special Conditions
To protect all customers and ensure that every return or exchange is handled fairly, we may require a receipt or decline a return in these situations:
• Item was not purchased directly from Dover Saddlery. (It was purchased at a used tack sale or from a retailer or online seller other than Dover Saddlery.)
• Item is missing a label or has been defaced.
• No receipt and no valid identification in our stores.
• Item is wet, dirty or contaminated, or until it has been cleaned. (For health and safety reasons, we cannot accept returns on used, defective or poorly fitting blankets if they are UNWASHED.)
• Item has been lost, stolen, damaged, or misused.
• On rare occasions, based on the nature of prior transactions.
• Supplements have been opened or used.
• Multiple returns of the same item.
• Personalized items may not be returned unless defective.
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Our Secure Order Guarantee means that you will never have to pay any money related to unauthorized charges to your credit card account, as long as those charges are a direct result from a transaction on Doversaddlery.com.
How it works: If you experience credit card fraud, the Fair Credit Act specifies that your credit card company can hold you liable for no more than $50.00 in fraudulent charges to your account. Our Secure Order Guarantee will reimburse you for any amount up to $50.00 billed to you by your credit card company for unauthorized charges to your account, if those charges result from an order you placed with Doversaddlery.com. For this protection you must promptly notify your credit card company of fraudulent charges and follow their procedures as outlined in your credit card agreement.
